North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 15 R · 4 D cosponsors

SB 986 — Workforce Act of 2026.

Last action — Withdrawn From Com

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced April 30, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 19 sponsors

    2 primary, 17 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (15 R · 4 D) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill supports workforce development programs and appropriates funds for education and apprenticeships in North Carolina.

The Workforce Act of 2026 aims to enhance workforce development by funding education pathways and apprenticeship programs. It allocates specific amounts for managing these programs and to develop industry-recognized credentials.

What this means for you
  • Workers: This bill may improve job training opportunities and pathways to credentials for workers.
  • Small Business: Small businesses could benefit from a better-prepared workforce through expanded apprenticeship programs.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

18 added · 19 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amended version of Senate Bill 986 includes changes that clarify funding allocations for North Carolina's educational systems. Specifically, it establishes that the Community Colleges System Office will receive $1 million annually, and the University of North Carolina's Board of Governors will get $2.5 million in one-time funding for the fiscal year 2026-2027. These updates are important because they aim to improve how educational institutions connect with labor market data, ultimately helping to better align education with job opportunities.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Apr 30, 2026 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 986 Short Title:
986 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS45527-NGa-141A Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTINUATION AND EXPANSION OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE STATE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THOSE PURPOSES.
Rules and Operations of the Senate May 4, 2026 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTINUATION AND EXPANSION OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE STATE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THOSE PURPOSES.
– The General Assembly finds that, due to the critical importance to the State of identifying industry-valued credentials, promoting programs of study leading to industry-valued credentials, and aligning industry-valued credentials and programs of study leading to those credentials with federal Workforce Pell Grant implementation, it is *DRS45527-NGa-141A* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 necessary that the State provide funds to the Department of Commerce (Department) to develop and maintain a list of industry-valued credentials, to continually determine programs of study to meet workforce needs, and to ensure alignment to federal Workforce Pell Grants.
– The General Assembly finds that, due to the critical importance to the State of identifying industry-valued credentials, promoting programs of study leading to industry-valued credentials, and aligning industry-valued credentials and programs of study leading to those credentials with federal Workforce Pell Grant implementation, it is *S986-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 necessary that the State provide funds to the Department of Commerce (Department) to develop and maintain a list of industry-valued credentials, to continually determine programs of study to meet workforce needs, and to ensure alignment to federal Workforce Pell Grants.
– As part of its efforts to link data on industry-valued credentials to labor market outcomes, the Department shall encourage issuers of those credentials to submit data pertaining to credentials issued to the North Carolina Longitudinal Data System for inclusion in the System's Licenses and Credentials Data Warehouse to enhance the State's ability to retrieve and link those data to labor market outcomes.
– As part of its efforts to link data on industry-valued credentials to labor market outcomes, the Department shall encourage issuers of those credentials to submit data pertaining to credentials issued to the North Carolina Longitudinal Data System for inclusion in the System's Licenses and Credentials Data Warehouse to enhance the State's abilityto retrieve and link those data to labor market outcomes.
– Of the funds appropriated to the Department under subsection (b) of this section, the Department mayuse up to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) each fiscal year for outreach and communications consistent with the purposes of this section, including to contract with non-State entities for outreach and communications.
– Of the funds appropriated to the Department under subsection (b) of this section, the Department mayuse up to fiftythousand dollars ($50,000) each fiscal year for outreach and communications consistent with the purposes of this section, including to contract with non-State entities for outreach and communications.
– The North Carolina Community Colleges System Office may use up to four percent (4%) of the funds appropriated for the Program for administrative costs associated with administration of the Program." Page 2 DRS45527-NGa-141A General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 3.2.(c) Appropriation.
– The North Carolina CommunityColleges System Office may use up to four percent (4%) of the funds appropriated for the Program for administrative costs associated with administration of the Program." Page 2 Senate Bill 986-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 3.2.(c) Appropriation.
– There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in recurring funds beginning with the 2026-2027 fiscal year for the Short-Term Workforce Development Grant Program.
– There is appropriated from the General Fund to the CommunityColleges System Office the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in recurring funds beginning with the 2026-2027 fiscal year for the Short-Term Workforce Development Grant Program.
– There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year for the DRS45527-NGa-141A Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 expanded Initiative described in subsection (a) of this section.
– There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The Universityof North Carolina the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year for the Senate Bill 986-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 expanded Initiative described in subsection (a) of this section.
– There is appropriated from the Information Technology Reserve to the Department of Commerce the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to enhance NC Careers in accordance with this subsection.
– There is appropriated from the Information Technology Reserve to the Department of Commerce the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in nonrecurringfunds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to enhance NC Careers in accordance with this subsection.
The Collaboratory shall report the results of its evaluation to theJoint LegislativeEducation Oversight CommitteebyMarch 15 of eachyearthrough March 15, 2030.
The Collaboratory shall report the results of its evaluation to theJoint LegislativeEducation Oversight CommitteebyMarch 15 of each yearthrough March 15, 2030.
SECTION 6.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina for the 2026-2027 fiscal year the sum of six Page 4 DRS45527-NGa-141A General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) in nonrecurring funds to be allocated to the North Carolina Collaboratory to conduct the evaluation and report described in this section.
SECTION 6.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina for the 2026-2027 fiscal year the sum of six Page 4 Senate Bill 986-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) in nonrecurring funds to be allocated to the North Carolina Collaboratory to conduct the evaluation and report described in this section.
DRS45527-NGa-141A Page 5
Senate Bill 986-First Edition Page 5
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How this bill changes current law

4 changes Share ↗

Compared against the N.C. General Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill amends existing law to enhance workforce development programs and appropriates funds for their administration and support.

  • N.C.G.S. § 115D-10.19

    (e) Administrative Costs. – The North Carolina Community Colleges System Office may use up to four percent (4%) of the funds appropriated for the Program for administrative costs associated with administration of the Program.

    Introduces a provision allowing the Community Colleges System Office to allocate a percentage of grant funds for administrative purposes.

  • N.C.G.S. § 143B-438.10

    The Department shall engage with employers to provide workforce data and participate in efforts to link data on industry-valued credentials to labor market outcomes, including: Labor market demand, Job placement and Standard Occupational Classification or similar data reflecting employment-in-field, Wage outcomes, Stackability-capacity for credentials to count toward and build into more advanced career credentials, and Work location, collected on a voluntary basis and in a manner consistent with applicable State and federal privacy protections.

    Mandates the Department of Commerce to collaborate with employers to collect and analyze workforce data linked to labor market outcomes.

  • N.C.G.S. § 143B-438.10

    As part of its efforts to link data on industry-valued credentials to labor market outcomes, the Department shall consult with the North Carolina Community Colleges System Office, The University of North Carolina System Office, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment with rules and regulations pertaining to federal Workforce Pell Grants and to take steps to institutionalize workforce data sharing across State government.

    Requires consultation with educational stakeholders to ensure data alignment with federal grants and promote data sharing among state agencies.

  • N.C.G.S. § 143B-438.10

    The Department shall encourage issuers of those credentials to submit data pertaining to credentials issued to the North Carolina Longitudinal Data System for inclusion in the System's Licenses and Credentials Data Warehouse to enhance the State's ability to retrieve and link those data to labor market outcomes.

    Encourages credential issuers to provide data to enhance the state's ability to analyze workforce outcomes.

Action History

  1. Withdrawn From Com

  2. Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget

  3. Passed 1st Reading

  4. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 17 co-sponsors · 160 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (17)

Not signed on (160)

160 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

labor education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 986?
SB 986 is sponsored by Vickie Sawyer (Republican), Benton G. Sawrey (Republican), Norman W. Sanderson (Republican), DeAndrea Salvador (Democratic), Timothy D. Moffitt (Republican), Chris Measmer (Republican), Michael A. Lazzara (Republican), Mark Hollo (Republican), Amy S. Galey (Republican), Carl Ford (Republican), Warren Daniel (Republican), Jay J. Chaudhuri (Democratic), Bob Brinson (Republican), Val Applewhite (Democratic), Gale Adcock (Democratic), Kevin Corbin (Republican), Ralph Hise (Republican), Eddie D. Settle (Republican), and Dana Jones (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 986?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced April 30, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 986?
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